What happens when the host accepts the booking, takes payment and ignores you?

[Tom3268]

I'm due to stay at Cahagnolles, Normandy 14490, France with extended family from Tue 26 July – Tue 2 Aug. I booked it early October, the booking was accepted. half the cost of a week's stay was taken from my credit card too. The host did not reply to my original message saying how much we were looking forward to staying with them. 10 days later, the host then asks me to pay more and change my dates. I decline and have heard nothing back from the host since. Messages have been ignored, no monies returned yet if you go to the sites own website the dates I have already paid for are available for booking/hire - has anyone else experienced something similar previously and what do people suggest can be done?

Thanks,

Tom

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Tom3268 I am afraid you need to report this urgently to Airbnb. The host is clearly trying to get more money for the booking and, as soon as they do, they will cancel your booking leaving you nowhere to stay. The host needs to be called out on this behaviour and have their listing removed.

The sooner you sort this the better or you will be looking for a place to stay last minute. IF (and I guess it is a big IF) you book elsewhere with Airbnb do not do so until the original booking is cancelled or you will end up in a mess.

[Tom3268]

Thank you for the above - totally agree!

Airbnb have tried contacting the owner too but to no avail....

[John5097]

@Tom3268 This sounds unusual with several different issues. Have you tried contacting customer support? If the reservation was made and paid through the ABB platform, Airbnb charges the card not the host. The host is paid by Airbnb after the second day of the stay. Did you have a deadline to pay the remainder of the balance to Airbnb? I'm not entirely sure what would happen if guest didn't pay ABB the balance by a deadline, as well as the cancelation policy when you made the reservation. Did you get notifications from Airbnb about any of this? If you could provide more info that would help understand what is going on. But for the dates to have opened back up indicates there was an issue with processing payment with Airbnb. If you paid the host or went to some other site that would a different situation against policy. 

[Huma0]

@John5097 

I believe the dates are available on the listing's own website, not on the Airbnb system, so the booking is still in place but it seems likely that the host is hoping to get a booking for a higher price and then cancel @Tom3268 

@Tom3268 definitely contact Airbnb Customer Support. This host's behaviour is not okay. They shouldn't be asking for more money anyway, unless you are wanting to bring more people than you booked for or something like that.

[Tom3268]

Thank you - I think you're right. I've not increased the party size from the original booking.  Airbnb have given assurances that they will contact the host....

[Tom3268]

Thanks for this. The balance isn't due until July 2022. No notifications from Airbnb, just a message from the host after they had accepted the booking and payment - obviously, I declined to pay more and have not had a response from the host to any messages sent since....

[Emilia42]

@John5097 

"I'm not entirely sure what would happen if guest didn't pay ABB the balance by a deadline, as well as the cancelation policy when you made the reservation."

FYI: This recently happened to me. The guest did not make the final payment and Airbnb canceled the reservation, unbeknownst to the guest, and my cancelation policy applied. It was all system automated.